Monday I watched a portion of a John McCain speech from Portland, Oregon in which the Republican presidential candidate addressed the issue of global warming and stressed the importance of good stewardship over our natural resources.
It took me back to a speech I attended at a local high school in 1992 given by vice-presidential candidate Al Gore. In his speech, Gore joked about how he’d been dubbed “Ozone Man” because of his concern about changes in the earth’s atmosphere.
Gore then went on to attribute his concern about the environment to the Book of Genesis, specifically the verse Genesis 1:26, which says:
"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'"
Whether or not McCain attributes his stewardship to biblical teaching wasn’t clear from what I heard of his speech. But it’s likely this verse that’s influenced a number of liberal and moderate Christian leaders to promote global warming as a Christian concern.
How ironic that the Christian group who claims to take the Creation story most literally--Christian fundamentalists--is the same group who believes mankind shouldn’t concern themselves about preserving that creation.
In part, this comes down to the other end of the Bible: The Book of Revelations. Fundamentalist Christians are more likely than other Christians to believe the world is about to end, and warming of the earth’s environment isn’t as much of an issue as the overheated environment in hell.
It also comes down to how one interprets the word "rule." Gore interprets this as a responsibility.
Whether you’re a “tree hugger” or not, the way someone interprets the concept of ruling is important, because it’s a reflection of their perception of responsible government. A government that runs roughshod over nature will do the same to people.
McCain’s environmental beliefs may or may not be biblically based. But it’s clear he wants to distance himself from the irresponsible approach of the current administration.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Standing Up for God's Right to Damn America
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s discourse doesn’t sound any more damning of America than that of Pastor John Hagge, who’s quoted as saying Hurricane Katrina was God’s judgment on gays in New Orleans and calling the Catholic Church the Whore of Babylon. Hagge recently endorsed Sen. John McCain for president.
Criticisms of Wright’s sermons and Michelle Obama’s statement raise a deeper issue: Is patriotism compatible with Christianity?
The question goes beyond Wright’s freedom of speech or Barack Obama’s freedom of religion to consider God’s right to damn America, rather than confine himself to piecemeal damnations of homosexuals, abortion doctors and the City of New Orleans.
Using Hagge’s reasoning, the Columbine High School shootings were God’s vengeance against Littleton, Colorado for the election of Rep. Tom Tancredo (R, Colo.), whose proposed illegal immigration laws violate Old Testament commandments against mistreating the stranger in one’s land.
It doesn’t take a theologian to see what caused 9/11: the pork and shellfish served in Manhattan restaurants. As for the Pentagon, Old Testament prophets like Hosea attributed God’s wrath to Israel’s engagement in unjust wars. If Katrina was preemptive vengeance for a New Orleans gay celebration, perhaps 9/11 was preemptive vengeance for Iraq.
Before Hagge labels churches the Whore of Babylon, he should consider that Babylon is in Iraq. So are American troops, thanks to pastors like Hagge who in 2000 pimped the voters in their churches to the Republican Party.
Modern religious leaders like Hagge manipulate Christians by implying God holds voters accountable for the choices of gays and pregnant women. By contrast, Old Testament prophets more often attributed God’s wrath to the behavior of political and religious leaders than the behavior of private citizens.
Regarding his decision to invade Iraq, our president says he answers to a Higher Father. I’ll take his word on this. But troop surges were never necessary in biblical warfare. Indeed, the biblical sign that God was on a nation’s side was its ability to win wars against overwhelming odds.
I’d guess the president has some answering to do.
A patriot says, “God Bless America.” A Christian gives God the right to choose whether to bless or damn America.
Criticisms of Wright’s sermons and Michelle Obama’s statement raise a deeper issue: Is patriotism compatible with Christianity?
The question goes beyond Wright’s freedom of speech or Barack Obama’s freedom of religion to consider God’s right to damn America, rather than confine himself to piecemeal damnations of homosexuals, abortion doctors and the City of New Orleans.
Using Hagge’s reasoning, the Columbine High School shootings were God’s vengeance against Littleton, Colorado for the election of Rep. Tom Tancredo (R, Colo.), whose proposed illegal immigration laws violate Old Testament commandments against mistreating the stranger in one’s land.
It doesn’t take a theologian to see what caused 9/11: the pork and shellfish served in Manhattan restaurants. As for the Pentagon, Old Testament prophets like Hosea attributed God’s wrath to Israel’s engagement in unjust wars. If Katrina was preemptive vengeance for a New Orleans gay celebration, perhaps 9/11 was preemptive vengeance for Iraq.
Before Hagge labels churches the Whore of Babylon, he should consider that Babylon is in Iraq. So are American troops, thanks to pastors like Hagge who in 2000 pimped the voters in their churches to the Republican Party.
Modern religious leaders like Hagge manipulate Christians by implying God holds voters accountable for the choices of gays and pregnant women. By contrast, Old Testament prophets more often attributed God’s wrath to the behavior of political and religious leaders than the behavior of private citizens.
Regarding his decision to invade Iraq, our president says he answers to a Higher Father. I’ll take his word on this. But troop surges were never necessary in biblical warfare. Indeed, the biblical sign that God was on a nation’s side was its ability to win wars against overwhelming odds.
I’d guess the president has some answering to do.
A patriot says, “God Bless America.” A Christian gives God the right to choose whether to bless or damn America.
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